Club Gascon

Smithfield

The superlative foie gras still features, but much else is new and improved at this bastion of Gallic air Some restaurants earn the epithet ‘timeless’ because they refuse to change. Others achieve longevity by moving with the times. Until recently Club Gascon fell into the former camp. A menu in thrall to foie gras and interiors that had barely changed since the fist tablecloth was unfurled in 1998 assured its status as a stalwart, albeit not one necessarily at the top of your ‘must-visit’ list. How times change.

A recent refurbishment has transformed it into everything you’d expect from a Michelin-starred restaurant on the edge of The City, complete with ostentatious gilt frosting and banquettes covered in teal velvet. The new menu is organised into three sections that reflect chef Pascal Aussignac’s thoughts on the past, present and future of dining. It’s safe to say that the future is looking bright for vegetarians and non-dairy eaters. The wine list has also shrunk and – traditionalists look away now – actually includes cocktails. For a sophisticated taste of south-west France try the Gascon signature pour, which features armagnac, cognac and champagne sweetened with a sugar cube.

What hasn’t changed is the miniature surprises which ow out of the kitchen on a stream of effortless brilliance at the start of the meal. No fewer than seven amuse bouches amaze with their taste, texture and imaginative presentation. Smoky pork crackling arrives swaddled in a haze of tomato mousse bolstered with comforting bean purée, while kale crisps, as arid as the earth on a scorching summer’s day, are expertly balanced by sweetcorn consommé sipped from a sea urchin shell. The only misfire is prune and cream spritzed with armagnac, which falls on the wrong side of contrived, in our opinion.

After this prelude, the thought of three courses may seem a little intimidating, but each plate is so carefully curated, with every ingredient earning its place, that you’ll fi nd yourself eating them with gusto. The highlight is foie gras with pine mushrooms, served with saline razor clam and a glass of Rancio Sec from Domaine des Schistes, a forti ed wine rarely seen outside of France. Equally good is the beef fillet. Served rare in fragrant disregard of our request for medium, when it arrives, blushing, doused in dashi and scattered with hibiscus, we acknowledge that chef knows best.